5 Ways with… Tea

Watch to see how the beverage double-duties as a cleaning agent, beauty aid and more

By WomansDay.com Staff

Learn how to make the most of common household items, like hair dryers, dryer sheets and toothpicks, when you watch our 5 Ways video series! Each week, we feature a different item, which you most likely have lying around the house, and show you five new uses for it—surprising even the most savvy homemaker. For instance, did you know the absorbent powders in sidewalk chalk can soak up stains on clothing? Or that dryer sheets can calm frizzy-hair flyaways? Today, tune in to our latest installment, in which WomansDay.com Assistant Editor Brynn Mannino demonstrates five new ways to put tea to use.

Tips from the Video:

1. Make windows and mirrors sparkle. The astringent in tea can easily cut through grease and dirt that accumulates on glass surfaces. Using a spray bottle filled with a strong brew, apply and wipe as you would with a regular household cleaner. B-roll.

2. Spray starch dark clothing. To avoid white streaks on dark clothing left by store-bought starch, use a mixture of black tea instead. In a spray bottle, combine brewed tea with 2 Tbsp of a hardening agent, like cornstarch, and spritz each item before ironing as usual. B-roll.

3. Create a scented sachet. Have a favorite herbal tea blend with an irresistible aroma? Borrow it to keep your dresser smelling fresh. Simply wrap dry herbs in a small sachet, and place in the back of a drawer, just as you would potpourri. Adorn it with a ribbon, and you’ve got an instand homemade gift! B-roll.

4. Make a soothing foot soak. Peppermint is both a naturally cooling and odor-removing herb. Next time your tootsies need some love, fill a soaking tub with a strong brew, and soak for 20 minutes or until your feet feel soothed and clean. B-roll.

5. Heal bruises faster. The tannins, or astringent compounds, in tea are super stars at reducing swelling and narrowing blood vessels. Nurse a black-and-blue mark back to health by firmly applying a used, drained tea bag to the bruise for 20 minutes twice daily. On-camera.

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